Most optimum route across Sri Lanka for 15 days

I would like advice for the most optimum route across Sri Lanka for 15 days. It would be desirable to see the main sights, tea plantations and wild animals. Any ideas on where I should start and end up, and what I should see along the way?

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From Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) you should head towards the south of the island to places such as Bentota, Galle where you can experience the best beaches in Sri Lanka. Lots of accommodation options close to the beaches, you can maybe spend one or two days in this area then head towards another coastal town Hambantota and from there either travel to Udawalawa National Forest Reserve or Yala National Park where you can enjoy the wild life sanctuaries. Then you head towards the hilly central region of the island to towns such as Bandarawela or more famouse Nuwara Eliya where you can explore the tea plantations, beautiful landscape, waterfalls etc. From here you move on to the beautiful town Kandy where you can visit the secret temple of the tooth, a botanical gardens, elephant orphanage or just spend some time roaming the beautiful kandy town. From kandy you travel towards the north central area of Sri Lanka to towns such as Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa where you can see the ruins of the ancient cities. And finally towards the north of the island such as Trincomalee to experience more beautiful beaches. from Trincomalee you can then head back towards Colombo, if time permits to stop over cities such as Dambulla or Kurunegala to see some more ancient historic ruins. Finally from Colombo head back to the Colombo Airport also known as Bandaranaike International Airport.

Ella to Tissamaharama (wild safari!!) - we did bundala and not yala : very nice park, very few jeeps compared to yala reviews and really nice stoppibg on the coast during the safari to look at the sea turtles

Tissa to Mirissa Beach : lovely beach but whale watching not a must do : too long abd whales too far (a question of chance i guess)

Mirissa to Hikkaduwa : much more touristy - didńt enjoy as much as mirissa

Mirissa to colombo : didńt enjoy the capital..

Depending on your transportation way, you can do more stops. We only went by bus which was also very interesting and enjoyable as much as crowded and cheap!!

Hope that helps!

Emily

Comments (1)

Wow, great insight, Emily! Thanks for sharing these spots. By the way, the Trippy team has helped you geo-tag all the places that you mentioned so that they appear on a map alongside your answer. You can do this yourself in the future by typing the @-symbol, then the name of the place, when you type your answer! :)
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